Jeff Jarvis Calls For An Open Ad Marketplace

Jeff Jarvis is calling for an open source-based movement to instrument the blogosphere so that everyblogger can particiapte in advertising revenue, and cut out the intermediaries, like Google:

[from BuzzMachine � Guardian column: Open ad marketplace by Jeff Jarvis]

It is just too difficult today for advertisers to join in the exploding world of blogs, podcasts, citizens’ media, and the mass of niches. It’s hard for them to find the best and most relevant blogs, to know how big they are, and to make sure that they’re trusted. It’s harder still to get to the authors to negotiate rates. Though some blogs are in ad networks, they may not be the ones the marketers want most. And some networks, such as Google’s AdSense, may place ads on blogs that advertisers would rather avoid. Finally, placing the ads is a technical headache for both advertiser and blogger.

Yet I hear advertisers dying to reach customers via influential blogs and I hear bloggers dying to get their money. What to do? I propose an open ad marketplace that would allow advertisers to find the best blogs and bloggers to find the best ad deals.

He goes on to detail what he thinks is needed.

This is exactly what I have been talking about: the shift of control from the new center — Google and other giants that dominate the Web 1.0 generation of online ad revenue — out to the edge. I don’t know if an open source movement is the only way to get there. Consider new, emerging solutions like SocialRoots (website coming), that allow bloggers to simply register their interest to sell posts (using the x:posted sevice), or to accept ads from advertisers using the system. [Disclosure: SocialRoots is a client, in which I have a financial interest.